United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NAUGATUCK, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON METZ, also known as “Jay,” 53, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2020, the DEA New Haven Task Force and Waterbury Police Department began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of heroin, cocaine and crack in the Waterbury area, and was believed to be headed by Zachary Lee Foster.  The investigation included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones used by members of the organization, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, and motor vehicle stops that resulted in the seizure of drugs.  The investigation revealed that Metz was working closely with Foster to distribute narcotics.  Between October 2020 and January 2021, Metz was intercepted numerous times on a wiretap ordering distribution quantities of narcotics from his New York supplier, and coordinating the sale of narcotics to several associates who, in turn, sold the drugs to their own customers.

On March 1, 2021, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Metz. Foster, and 15 others.  Metz and others were arrested on March 3, 2021.  On that date, law enforcement executed seven search warrants and seized approximately 40,000 bags of heroin/fentanyl, 350 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of crack cocaine, and nine firearms.

Metz pleaded guilty on February 16, 2022.

Metz, who had been released on bond, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of today’s court proceeding.

Foster has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department.  The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and Brendan Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Waterbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.